Alternating-current vapor device.



P. H. THOMAS.

ALTERNATING CURRENT VAPOR DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED SEIPT. 27,1905.

Patented Sept. 15, 1914.

1,1 mam UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PERCY H. THOMAS, OF MONTCLAIR, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- IENTS, TO COOPER HEWITT ELECTRIC COMPANY, HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY, A.

CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 15, 1914.

Application filed September 27, 1905. Serial No. 280,254.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PERCY H. THOMAS, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Montclair, county of Essex, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Alternating-Current Vapor Devices, of which the following is a specification.

Single-phase alternating current vapor devices provided with a single negative electrode and two or more positive electrodes are sometimes started by tilting the apparatus so as to bring the negative electrode into positive connection with one or more of the main positive electrodes or with a supplemental positive electrode which is afterward cut out of operation. The starting of the device takes place when this connection is ruptured as by the separation of a conducting liquid, such as ,mercury, connecting the respective electrodes. Under these conditions it does not always happen that the rupture takes place at the right moment for constituting the electrode which is intended for the negative electrode of the apparatus a true negative electrode. For this reason it is sometimes necessary to tilt or tip the apparatus more than once in order to insure the proper starting thereof. The present invention relates to means whereby it is made more certain that a single tilting of the device will initiate a flow of current through the apparatus in a proper direction. To this end the device is so constructed that several breaks occur whenever the mercury (if that be the selected conducting liquid) flows from the negative electrode to the positive electrodes, whereby the probability of at least one'of the breaks being accomplished at the opportune moment is increased. In connection with this construction of apparatus I may employ a resistance which is interposed between the starting positive electrode and the other main positive electrode whereby when the apparatus has once started into operation it will remain in operation without danger of going out in case a closure of the circuit takes place after the original starting.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention herein described, Figure 1 being a side elevation of a mercury vapor lamp embodying my invention, and Fig. 2

being adiagram of the circuits employed in connectlon with the lamp.

In the drawings, 1 is the container of a mercury vapor lamp, 2 is the negative electrode thereof, and 3 and 4 are the positive electrodes. The latter may be of iron or other solid material, while the former is in the present instance of mercury.- A starting electrode, 13, is also provided which is usually made similar in character to the electrodes 3 and 4. All the electrodes are suitably connected to the external circuit by means of lead-wires. The lamp is supported upon a frame, 5, pivoted at 6 to a support, 7, extending from the frame, 8, of an electro-niagnet, 9, having a core or pole-piece, 10. The frame is itself of magnetic material and when the magnet is energized it is drawn upward into the dotted line position in Fig. 1 whereby a portion of the mercury constituting the electrode 2 is caused to travel through the tube 1 and into contact with the electrode 13, or an extension thereof. It will. be seen that the container at the positive end of the apparatus is formed so as to cause successive ruptures of contact' between the starting electrodes 13 and the mercury forming the stream of mercury so that a plurality of breaks takes place thus increasing, as stated above, the likelihood of at least one of the breaks being made at the opportune moment. I

By referring to Fig. 2 it will be seen that the lamp is supplied from an alternating current source consisting of the primary 11, and the secondary, 12, of a transformer, the terminals of which are joined to the electrodes 3 and 4. An intermediate point of the secondary 12 is connected to the negative electrode 2. The starting electrode 13- is connected by conductor, 14:, to an inand appears to cause a. number of successive breaks after making its initial contact. In most cases, it is found that on one or the other of the ruptures the apparatus is successfully started. Assuming now that a rupture has been made in the mercury stream at the proper moment, the current will pass through the break to the true negative end of the apparatus and this current will be transferred to the main electrode 4, and the lamp will not be put out by reason of any subsequent connection inside the apparatus on accountof the limlted flow of current in the starting circuit due to the lower voltage impressed upon that circuit. At the next alternation the electrode 3 will supply current delivered from the secondary 12 and so on. The same mvention may be applied to other forms of vapor apparatus besides mercury vapor lamps. as will be readily understood.

While the apparatus is shown and described as bein so tilted as to make and break electrica connection between the negative electrode and the starting electrode, yet it is a fact that the starting operation appears to be caused by the rupture of the circuit thus described and the invention is not necessarily confined to an apparatus in which a plurality of breaks takes place. In other words, assuming a normal connection between a negative electrode and the starting electrode by means of a bridge of mercury, the invention would be carried out by any arrangement which caused a succession of breaks by a tilting of the apparatus suflicient to interrupt the bridge a number of times.

The operation in actual practice being extremely rapid is diflicult to follow with the eye but seems to be due to a series ofv actual connections and disconnections between the mercury and the supplemental electrode. On the other hand, trial has actually shown the apparatus and method herein described to be very effective for starting and it is in-- tended to claim substantially this device whether the actual physical phenomena include positive makes and breaks or the splashing action and the breaking up of the normal flow of the jet causes the actual starting of the apparatus.

I do not claim herein the method of utilizing a plurality of breaks to cause a flow of current between the negative electrode and a starting positive electrode and transferring the flow to a main positive electrode by means of an ohmic resistance, such invention having been made b another. What I do claim will appear c early in the claims which follow.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a vapor device of the tilting type having a plurality of positive electrodes and a negative electrode of conducting liquid, wherein the device is started into operation by the rupture of a stream or layer of conducting liquid connecting the negative electrode and one or more of the positive electrodes, means for supplying current through the lamp for starting and operating, means for causing a plurality of breaks in the starting circuit during a single tilting of the device, and means depending upon the form of the starting circuit for preventing the extinguishment of the de- 7 vice on the reestablishment of the metallic circuit through the device. I

2. In a vapor electric apparatus in which energy is derived from an alternatin current source and in which starting 1s accomplished by' breaking a current carrying circuit Within the vacuum, the method of starting, which consists in tilting the container for thepurpose of starting while overcoming the negative electrode reluctance by the breaking of a current carrying contact within the vacuum and causing the number of such makes and breaks to greatly exceed the number of tilting motions.

3. In a vapor electric apparatus in which energy is derived from an alternating current source containing a conducting liquid and in which a separation of a current carrying circuit within the vacuum is utilized for breaking down the negative electrode resistance, the method of starting, which consists in permitting the force of gravity to act on a portion of the conducting liquid thus producing a high velocity, causing this velocity to produce a number of makes and breaks within the vacuum and utilizing a favorable break to start fhe apparatus. a starting is accomplished by a plurality of circuit interruptions within the container, the method of limiting the starting current which consists in applying a higher supply n a vapor electric apparatus in which voltage to the normal operating electrodes than to the circuit of the starting electrode.

5. In a vapor device havin a plurality of positive electrodes, one 0 which is a starting electrode, a source of alternating current, connected to the worln'ng electrodes and also connected to the starting electrode at a point of intermediate potential.

6. In a vapor electric apparatus in which energy is derived from an alternating current source, the said apparatus containing 7. In a vapor electric apparatus in which energy is derived from an alternating current source, the said apparatus containing a conducting liquid and the parts being so disposed that a separation of a current carryin circuit within the vacuum is utilized for reaking down the negative electrode resistance, the method of starting, which consists in permitting the force of gravity to act on the conducting liquid and thus produce a high velocity, rigidly deflecting this fluid to cause a number of makes and breaks in rapid succession and utilizing a favorable break to start the apparatus.

8. In a vapor electric apparatus containing a conducting liquid, in which energy is derived from an alternating current source and in which a separate starting circuit and main operating circuit are provided, and in which the breaking of a currentcarrying circuit within the vacuum is utilized for overcoming the negative electrode reluctance, the method of starting, which consists in imparting high velocity to a portion of the conducting liquid by motion of the container, causing said velocity to produce a rapid succession of makes and breaks, utilizing a favorable break to start the lamp through said starting circuit, and thereafter transferring the flow of current in the main operating circuit.

9. In a vapor electric apparatus in which energy is derived from an alternating current source containing a conducting liquid and in which a separation of a current carrying circuit within the vacuum is utilized for breaking down the negative electrode resistance, the method of starting, which consists in permitting the force of gravity to produce a high velocity in a portlon of the conducting liquid and arresting this liquid to produce a splashing action for the purposeof starting the operation.

10. In a vapor electric apparatus in which energy is derived from an alternating current source containing a conducting liquid and in which a separation of a current carrying circuit within the vacuum is utilized for breaking down the negative electrode resistance, the method of starting, which consists in permitting the force of gravity to produce a high velocity in the conducting fluid, causing the high velocity to produce an irregular motion of said liquid and utilizing said irregularity to produce an intermittent contact within the container.

11. In a gas or vapor electric apparatus in which a conducting liquid is made to flow between electrodes for the purpose of producing a temporary contact between said electrodes, the method of producing a plurality of breaks in the temporary circuit between the electrodes, which consists in directing the said flow of liquid to repeatedly make said connection and deflecting the liquid to break the connection.

12. The combination with an alternating current source and a vacuum apparatus comprising a hermetically sealed and completely exhausted container, a plurality of anodes and a vaporizable reconstructlng cathode, and conducting liquid therein, of means for tilting said container thereby producing a continuous stream of said liquid from said vaporizable electrode to a starting positive electrode, also included in said container, and making an intermittent contact therewith, together with suitable connections for the apparatus including leads from the source to the said anodes and means for impressing a lower voltage upon the circuit of said starting anode than upon said first named anodes.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York, and State of New York, this 25th day of September A. D. 1905.

PERCY H. THOMAS.

Witnesses:

WM. H. CAPEL, Tnos. H. BROWN. 

